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Richard Milhous Nixon


Born: January 9, 1913
Birthplace: Yorba Linda, California
Died: April 22, 1994
Political Party: Republican
In Office: January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974
Vice Presidents:
-Spiro Agnew 1969–1973
-Gerald Ford 1973–1974
Richard Nixon's presidency was filled with easily some of the most controversial actions that there could be in a president. The Watergate scandal that caused him to resign was easily the worst of his issues that led him down a problematic path. However, before that, the people did like him for a reason. He was a successful leader in his own right and managed to lead America to a heightened path and sense of passion until the scandal. With a president that although led the Nation to question authority, success was just around the corner with this C+ grade president.

Nixon's presidency led to many achievements that helped not only the nation to progress, but also the world. His first goal after becoming president was to bring the nation back together in a heightened sense of unity by ending the Vietnam involvement. He also wanted to create a sense of unity between the communist powers of Russia and China so that America would less be involved in an ongoing war against communism as opposed to a war for justice. In these Nixon was ultimately successful in the Vietnam war, although an incriminating loss for America, because it had ended. And also there were highly improved foreign relations because of Nixon's travels to the foreign countries themselves to have chats and speak to the leaders themselves in order to show a sense of trust and bond.

The congress during Nixon's presidency was easily a majority Democratic, however, that didn't mean that Congress had a bad relation with Nixon. Many of Nixon's acts and laws got passed because the relation wasn't terrible. Congress showed that they were on Nixon's side time and time again in such cases as the end of the the relation of the gold, in which the Congress allowed Nixon to end the backing of American Currency with the limited Gold Reserves. Although this was controversial, and hardened trade between countries, the end result showed that Nixon was on Congress' good side. Congress didn't necessarily trust Nixon, as the Economic Stabilization Act was not intended to wok for Nixon because he supposedly didn' have the guts to let it work. But, in the end, Congress still did let the act pass and thus caused the inpoved relation that was present during Nixon's entire presidency of Democratic Congress.

In Nixon's presidency, his best action would likely have to be his diplomatic policies of his public-relations comeback effort. In this, he took the stance of visiting multiple countries in Europe and Asia. The biggest of these trips was the multiple time trip to China in which he met with leader Mao Zedong. In this, Nixon improved relations tremendously with China. This policy led to many of the greater ideas that the United States were able to come up with regarding foreign policy because they met limited resistence with Countries that out and about plain liked the United States as a result of Nixon's controversial trips. And although Nixon did manage to get heavily criticized for his actions, the trips were nonetheless a result and showed that "It's a small world after all." Nixon's worst action as president is easily obvious. The very reason why Nixon Resigned was due to the Watergate Scandal in which Nixon acted very lowly and cowardly in the face of his presidency and set bad examples for the people of the United States. This action also caused the problems of letting America seem like an even worse country as a result. America was already in shame of losing the Vietnam War, and so this furthered the American downward spiral of self-esteem.

Nixon's presidecy caused a more controversial approach to the idea of a presidential party. Nixon's acts during presidency were very, controversial, and as such somehow complex and mysterious as well. Nixon was both a Democratic and Republican president. Although his party was technically republican, many of his actions were very liberal and as such democratic as well. In this sense, this is a large reason as to why Nixon gathered so much support from both Congress and the People. Therefore, in his legacy, Nixon showed that it's not a party you vote for, it's a president.

Any form of recollection on Nixon's presidency can't be complete without a thorough show of the Watergate Scandal. As such, the scandal itself truthfully tarred and marked his presidency with a horrible aftertaste. But in his presidency, this was his only major mistake that led to a bad presideny. America was in effect of his presidency, a better and improved place to live in. Therefore, no bad grade can be given to a president who only has one mistake. Everyone has their faults, and America should be at fault too if they think that a president isn't human as well. Nixon managed to successfully improve the Nation and the World in a way that most Americans could not. In light of this, Nixon's still poor Grade of a C+ is highly deserved.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Nixon
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/RichardNixon/
http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/nixon/essays/biography/8